The TRIZ Method

1
The TRIZ Method

• David E. Goldberg
• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• deg_at_uiuc.edu

2
Texts Used

• Kaplan, S. (1996). An introduction to TRIZ The
  Russian theory of inventive problem solving.
  Southfield, MI Ideation International Inc.
• Altshuler, G. (1994). And suddenly the inventor
  appeared TRIZ, the theory of inventive problem
  solving (L. Shulyak S. Rodman, trans).
  Worcester, MA Technical Innovation Center.
• Altshuler, G. (2000). The innnovation algorithm
  TRIZ, systematic innovation and technical
  creativity (L. Shulyak S. Rodman, trans).
  Worcester, MA Technical Innovation Center.

3
More Texts

• Altshuler, G. S. (1984). Creativity as an exact
  science The theory of the solution of inventive
  problems (A. Williams, trans.). New York Gordon
  and Breach.
• Savransky, S. D. (2000). Engineering of
  creativity Introduction to TRIZ methodology of
  inventive problem solving. Boca Raton FL CRC
  Press.

4
G. S. Altshuller

• Genrich Saulovich Altshuller (1926-1998).
• 1946 was working in Soviet Navy patent office.
• 1948 wrote a letter to Comrade Stalin wishing to
  help the motherland do better invention.
• 1950 arrested for investors sabotage sent to
  the Gulag.
• 1956 wrote his first paper.

5
TRIZ

• Teoriya Resheniya Izobreatatelskikh Zadatch
• Theory of inventive problem solving.
• Started with Altshullers interest in invention
  and work in Soviet Navy patent office.

6
What is TRIZ?

• TRIZ is an evolving, open-ended system for
  enhancing human inventiveness through
• Systematic identification of problems and ideal
  solutions
• Overcoming various blocks through heuristics and
  approaches that have worked in other disciplines

7
Organization of Presentation

• Levels of inventive solutions
• Regularities in the evolution of technological
  systems
• Technical contradictions, the matrix
• SU-Field theory

8
Levels of Inventive Solution

• Level 1 Standard, routine methods within
  specialty.
• Level 2 Improvement, new features.
• Level 3 Invention inside paradigm, essential
  improvement of existing system (automatic
  transmission).
• Level 4 Invention outside paradigm, new system
  (use of little known phenomena).
• Level 5 Discovery, essentially new system, new
  science? (lasers, aircraft, computers).

9
Regularities in Evolution of Technological Systems

• 8 Laws of Development of Engineered Systems
• Law of completeness of parts of a system
• Law of energy conductivity of a system
• Law of harmonization of rhythms
• Law of increasing ideality
• Law of uneven development of parts
• Law of transition to a supersystem
• Law ot transition from macro to mirco level
• Law of increasing substance-field involvement

10
Completeness

• Four canonical parts
• Engine
• Working organ
• Transmission
• Control organ
• Systems evolve toward more complete synthesis of
  these parts

11
Energy Conductivity

• Systems evolve toward increasing efficiency in
  the transfer of energy
• From engine to working organ.
• Transfer through a substance or a field
• Substance material items
• Field magnetic field
• Substance-field stream of charged particles
• Query What about information flow?

12
Harmonization

• System evolves toward harmony of its rhythms and
  natural frequencies of its parts.
• Coal boring method example. 2-steps, 7-year delay
  avoided.

13
Ideality

• IFR ideal final result
• Function exists but machine does not.
• Ideality is the useful effects divided by the
  harmful.

14
Uneven Development of Parts

• Development proceeds monotonically
• Parts evolve in fits and starts
• See this in GAs
• Cargo ship example capacity and engine size
  exceed braking capacity.

15
Last 3 Laws

• Transition to Supersystem
• Reach limits of development
• System becomes subsystem of larger system
• Transition from Macro to Micro
• Stuff gets smaller
• Increasing substance-field involvement
• Discuss in a moment

16
Other Altshuller Pearls

• Other writings resulted in other laws
• Increasing dynamism things become moveable
  (landing gear, wings)
• Psychological inertia people resist change
• Note about laws empirical laws like Darwin or
  prescriptive/normative laws. Thou shalt do X.

17
Principle of Solution by Abstraction

• Steps
• Specific inventive problem
• Identify abstract problem category
• Determine associated abstract solution category
• Specialize abstract solutions to specific problem
• Chart

18
Technical Contradictions the Matrix

• Parameter A improves, but parameter B
  deteriorates, strength v. weight.
• Usually involves tradeoff or compromise
• TRIZ seeks to surmount contradiction.
• In patent study, Altshuler identified 39
  engineering parameters and 40 operators
• 39 x 39 matrix of parameter contradictions

19
Altshullers Parameters

• Tension, pressure
• Shape
• Stability of object
• Strength
• Durability of moving object
• Durability of nonmoving object
• Temperature
• Brightness
• .Energy spent by moving object
• Energy spent by nonmoving object

• Weight of moving object
• Weight of nonmoving object
• Length of moving object
• Length of nonmoving object
• Area of moving object
• Area of nonmoving object
• Volume of moving object
• Volume of nonmoving object
• Speed
• Force

20
More Parameters

• Power
• Waste of energy
• Waste of substance
• Loss of information
• Waste of time
• Amount of substance
• Reliability
• Accuracy of measurement
• Accuracy of manufacturing
• Harmful factors acting on object

• Harmful side effects
• Manufacturability
• Convenience of use
• Repairability
• Adaptability
• Complexity of device
• Complexity of control
• Level of automation
• Productivity

21
40 Inventive Principles

• Segmentation
• Extraction
• Local quality
• Asymmetry
• Combining
• Universality
• Nesting
• Counterweight

• Prior counter-action
• Prior action
• Cushion in advance
• Equipotentiality
• Inversion
• Spheroidality
• Dynamicity
• Partial or overdone action

22
More Inventive Principles

• Move to new dimension
• Mechanical vibration
• Periodic action
• Continue useful action
• Rushing through
• Convert harm to benefit

• Feedback
• Mediator
• Self-service
• Copying
• Substitute throwaway
• Replace mechanical system
• Use pneumatic-hydraulic system

23
Sample Contradiction

• Weight of moving object vs force
• Use 8, 10, 18, 37
• Counterweight
• Prior action
• Mechanical vibration
• Thermal expansion
• Amounts to an expert system depending upon
  technical blocks.

24
Physical Contradiction

• Single parameter that we want to both increase
  and decrease.
• Do not compromise Invent.
• Separation principles for overcoming
• Separation in time
• Separation in space
• Separation in scale

25
Examples of Separation Solutions

• Siberian pile driving desire sharp point to
  drive easily, blunt point to sustain max load.
• Separate in time
• Explosive charge after driving
• Coating problem high temp for quick coating, but
  coating breaks down
• Separate in space
• Local heating, quick coating, but chemical OK.

26
More Examples

• Want bike transmission to be rigid for strength,
  but flexible for smooth drive
• Separation in scale
• Bike chain is rigid at small scale, but flexible
  at large scale.

27
SU-Field Theory

• Substances act through fields
• Field types
• Mechanical
• Acoustic
• Thermal
• Chemical
• Electric
• Magnetic
• Diagram

28
TRIZ Well Known in Russia

• Less so elsewhere
• Software to implement TRIZ in various ways.
  Invention machine IDEATION software.
• Extension to non-tech systems.

29
Connections

• Similarities
• Evolutionary foundations
• List based
• Heuristics based
• Contradictions -gt bisociation?
• Differences
• Grasp at universality

30
Speculation

• Integrate GP-GA with TRIZ engine to generate new
  domains.
• How far can we go with automating true
  invention machine?
• How can we represent important items?
• Past invention
• Scientific knowledge

31
Even More

• Flexible film or thin membranes
• Use porous material
• Change color
• Make homogeneous
• Rejecting or regenerating parts
• Transform physical-chemical states

• Phase transition
• Thermal expansion
• Use oxidizers
• Inert environment
• Composite material